Jacksonville Bold for 3.26.25: Five-year plan

Failure to plan is planning to fail.

That’s one justification for St. Johns County’s decision to finally ratify a strategic plan after decades of being among the fastest-growing areas in the country.

“The strategic plan is a living document that will help us define our future vision for the County,” assistant County Administrator Sarah Taylor said. “It reflects our community’s priorities, enabling us to make informed budget and policy decisions while securing the resources needed to keep our County thriving. We are committed to continuously tracking our progress and improving service delivery for everyone in the County.”

Thus, this is the road map for the rest of the decade.

The County says the plan is “the tool that keeps the team and the entire organization headed in the same direction and serves as a blueprint for the long-term sustainability of the County, its programming and services, its operations, its infrastructure and County government in general.” It also “prioritizes mission-critical activities and how to align the County’s budget with these priorities.”

“If the County does not think strategically and make the effort to plan for the future, we may struggle to maintain our focus and make progress toward the outcomes that are most important for the residents and businesses in our communities,” leaders warn.

Following the plan means locals should expect the County to function more like a major suburban county than the rural one it was in the 20th century.

For example, more parks and cultural opportunities for residents are prioritized, along with better social services—which may be good news, especially for the elderly who have chosen to retire in SJC.

They also want fewer stray animals, intending to encourage pet adoption. They seek improved sidewalks and walking trails.

The plan also acknowledges the County’s expensive housing stock, aiming to keep people in homes and protect “generational wealth.” More “workforce housing” is also wanted, which would be ideal for those working in the County who can’t afford to live there.

Additionally, the plan pushes targeted economic incentives for certain qualifying businesses.

Preserving the environment is also a stated goal, with the idea of increasing agricultural conservation land over the five years of the plan.

“The St. Johns County Strategic Plan is a celebration of community input and public engagement,” County Administrator Joy Andrews said. “We’re excited about our ongoing collaboration as we embark on this journey together to shape the community’s future.”

TRICARE trouble

Two Northeast Florida members of Congress want TRICARE to do a better job reimbursing active-duty service members.

Reps. Aaron Bean, a Fernandina Beach Republican, and John Rutherford, a Jacksonville Republican, sent a letter to Dr. David J. Smith, acting Director of the Defense Health Agency, about ongoing failures in reimbursing troops.

“We have heard from countless concerned constituents that the new T-5 contract has had a severe impact on our military families and community medical providers,” the letter reads. “Providers across the nation have reported millions of dollars in unpaid or unprocessed claims. TRICARE beneficiaries are experiencing unfathomable delays. This crisis has put smaller practices at risk of shutting down, jeopardizing access to care for thousands of military families across the country.”

The letter said many in Northeast Florida suffered from reduced access to care, while other providers warned patients that services would soon be significantly reduced. One clinic in the region, where TRICARE beneficiaries make up a third of patients, reported to lawmakers that the federal carrier owes it $100,000.

“It would be unacceptable for military families to lose access to critical health care coverage,” Bean and Rutherford wrote. “This crisis must be immediately rectified, so that TRICARE payment services are restored, and providers can remain operational.”

DOGE doings

Speaking of Bean, he’s a co-introducer on HR 2006, which would codify the Department of Governmental Efficiency.

The bill would require all federal agencies to work with DOGE on productivity boosts.

“DOGE’s mission is to improve government efficiency and to stop the abuse of taxpayer dollars — and it’s doing just that. As co-Chair of the House DOGE Caucus, I am proud to join Congressman Mills in introducing the DOGE Act to codify President Trump’s executive order into law. The American people overwhelmingly support ending waste, fraud, and abuse, and we are working to restore accountability to the American public,” said Congressman Bean.

Reps. Byron Donalds and Cory Mills are also among the introducers.

Fed job

President Donald Trump has nominated a key player in Florida transportation regulation and a Flagler County School Board member to become Administrator for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Derek Barrs is up for the federal job. In addition to his School Board role, he has served as a chief of commercial vehicle enforcement for the Florida Highway Patrol. He’s an associate vice president for HNTB Corp., a transportation infrastructure design firm.

Barrs has extensive experience with the Florida Trucking Association (FTA) and the backing of transportation experts in the Sunshine State.

“Derek has been boots-on-the-ground for years of voluntary vehicle inspections; outreach to company terminals; and developing the ‘Truck Drivers and Troopers’ program with FTA — matching our member companies with a trooper to spend a workday with a driver, and then vice versa — for both to better understand the issues one another face,” said Alix Miller, President and CEO of the FTA.

Bridge bummer

Jacksonville’s Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge, more commonly known as the Dames Point Bridge, could be a liability or needs upgrades.

A new U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) analysis suggests that many bridges across America could use some work. The study was conducted after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed a year ago in Baltimore, Maryland, when a ship rammed the support apparatus for the span.

The federal analysis found that 68 bridges across the U.S. need evaluation to see if the support systems could be shored up to prevent a collapse if a ship collides with the spans.

The NTSB report listed “critical or essential” bridges to provide additional or revised support for the Dames Point Bridge in Jacksonville. The cable span with spires crossing the St. Johns River from the Fort Caroline area north to the Heckscher Drive area was completed in 1989.

The NTSB “report does not suggest that the 68 bridges are certain to collapse,” the federal report concluded. “The NTSB recommended that bridge owners develop and implement a comprehensive risk reduction plan.”

The Dames Point wasn’t the only Florida bridge listed in the report. Tampa’s Sunshine Skyway Express crossing Tampa Bay gets the same classification as the Jacksonville span.

Does not compute

Floridians who don’t want AI to assess their need for home repair after a hurricane are one step closer to the human touch after Sen. Jennifer Bradley got a bill through Banking and Insurance on Tuesday.

SB 794 would mandate a manual review of claim denials by a “qualified human professional” who is compelled to sign off on the refusal to pay out.

“The bill emphasizes the need for human oversight in the decision-making process by providing the insurer’s decision to deny claim or any portion of a claim must be made by a human being. The bill provides that an artificial intelligence system may not serve as the sole basis for determining whether to deny a claim, that denial under the insurance code must be reviewed and decided by a qualified human professional. While AI can improve efficiency and accuracy in certain cases, the bill seeks to mitigate risks related to potential inaccuracies and biases,” Bradley said.

The Florida Medical Association and Insurance Consumer Advocate Tasha Carter support the bill.

The bill from Bradley, a Clay County Republican, has two committee stops ahead. She says it will “strike the right balance between allowing innovation” and “protecting consumers from unaccountable algorithms.”

Bradley has two other insurance bills this Session that haven’t moved yet.

SB 790 would protect people from having wind policies canceled in the event of flood damage from a hurricane.

SB 792 addresses insurance companies’ financial health. The bill would require the Office of Insurance Regulation to keep records of the “financial strength rating issued to each property insurer by an independent rating agency each calendar quarter during the reporting period.”

Cancer check

A Democrat-led push to expand Medicaid coverage for mammograms and breast cancer screenings has advanced through its first Senate committee stop.

The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee approved the legislation (SB 1578) filed by Jacksonville Democrat Sen. Tracie Davis.

“Breast cancer is the second-most common cancer in women, affecting 1 in 3 new female patients in a year,” Davis said during Tuesday’s hearing. “Five to 10% of all breast cancer causes are hereditary, and the risk of diagnosis doubles if a member of your family, your immediate family, has had breast cancer already.”

If passed, her bill would require the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) to cover mammograms and supplemental breast cancer screenings in Medicaid for women as young as 25. Current law permits a “baseline mammogram” once a year for women who are at least 35 and under 40.

The bill would also expand Medicaid coverage for women between the ages of 40 and 50 years to get a mammogram annually instead of every two years.

Clot bill flows forward

A proposed House bill establishing a statewide tracking and treatment registry for blood clots in Florida is closer to becoming law.

In a hearing before the House Professions and Programs Subcommittee, testimony became emotional as the measure’s sponsor, Jacksonville Republican Rep. Dean Black, detailed why the state needs to approve the bill (HB 1421).

“Nowhere on earth is there any central registry, no concerted study for academia of the field of medicine, to learn how we can improve on this,” Black said. “You (House members on the subcommittee) will start in motion something that exists nowhere in this nation. You will save lives year after year.”

The subcommittee voted unanimously to approve the bill, which has three more stops before reaching the floor.

Black has named the bill the “Emily Adkins Family Protection Act.” The measure would reflect recommendations by the Blood Clot and Pulmonary Embolism Policy Workgroup, established in 2023 by the Legislature in the Emily Adkins Prevention Act.

That panel concluded that the state should establish a statewide registry for blood clots, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism reports within the Department of Health. The proposed registry would serve as a catalog to keep data on demographics such as age, gender, and ZIP codes of Floridians suffering from blood clots who live independently or in assisted care facilities.

No confidence

The Jacksonville City Council voted 11-6 Tuesday night to affirm its “lack of confidence” in General Counsel Michael Fackler’s ability to be unbiased and independent.

While the supermajority Republican legislative body unanimously confirmed him in 2023, relationships have soured amid perceptions that Fackler serves Democratic Mayor Donna Deegan rather than the lawmakers.

Tensions were most vividly seen during a special meeting last month, during which members of both parties pilloried Fackler for not advising the Council amid a dispute over the Meridian Waste contract.

Tuesday night made it clear that time healed no wounds; the resolution had 10 Republican sponsors (Raul Arias, Ron Salem, Rory Diamond, Randy White, Kevin Carrico, Nick Howland, Chris Miller, Joe Carlucci, Mike Gay, and Will Lahnen).

Salem noted the resolution was “non-binding,” a “gauge of Council’s confidence” in Fackler. But he contended that Fackler’s handling of the Meridian situation was an “earthquake” for Council.

He also said former general counsels told him Fackler was overstretched with binding legal opinions and that if they could speak publicly, the “vote would be 17-0.”

“We have a general counsel who is ill-suited for the job,” Salem said, blaming himself for “rushing” the vote to confirm Fackler when he was Council President.

Immigration song

Deegan believes the “Jacksonville Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act” is “redundant,” imposing a local prohibition on activity already illegal at the federal and state level.

But the City Council passed it anyway on Tuesday by a 12–5 vote, forcing the Mayor to either sign the legislation, veto it, or do nothing. It appears to be a potential early flashpoint in her re-election bid in two years.

Should it become law, the bill would make it a “local crime” to be an undocumented immigrant in Duval County. It also contemplates money for 25 fingerprint readers for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office to identify and process undocumented immigrants.

Republican Michael Boylan attempted substitute legislation ahead of discussion, imputing “nefarious reasons” and “fearmongering” as the bill’s motivations. He said state laws sufficed, the money for the fingerprint readers should come out of Council Contingency, and the legislation should be a resolution.

Sponsor Kevin Carrico, the Council’s Vice President, said that was an unfriendly substitution and urged voting it down. Rory Diamond echoed this position, saying Boylan’s proposal would “gut” the bill and pave the way for Jacksonville to become a “sanctuary city.”

Other substitutes failed.

If Deegan vetoes the bill, 13 votes are needed to override the Mayor’s decision. Two members were absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

Money moving

Autonomous vehicles are poised to boost the local economy by $300 million and bring 800 jobs.

That’s the take of a study from JAX USA regarding the to-be-constructed 500,000 square foot factory.

“Construction of HOLON’s autonomous vehicle manufacturing facility in North Jacksonville is projected to generate nearly $300 million in local economic impact over the next four years. According to an analysis by the Coggin College of Business at the University of North Florida, the region will benefit from more than $200 million during construction and $87 million annually upon opening in 2028,” the Jax Chamber-related business group is announcing.

“HOLON’s decision to build this facility here has the potential to be a game-changer for Jacksonville, solidifying our leadership in the autonomous vehicle space and driving growth across multiple sectors,” JAXUSA Partnership President Aundra Wallace said. “This is the type of investment that will have a broad impact across our economy and we look forward to HOLON being a significant part of our business community.”

The facility, announced last fall, is framed as a rising tide that lifts all boats.

“As HOLON establishes itself in Jacksonville, our focus is on creating meaningful opportunities through new jobs, innovation and long-term economic growth,” said Henning von Watzdorf, CEO of HOLON. “We look forward to a lasting positive impact that aligns with our mission to deliver sustainable passenger transportation.”

JEA lookin’ up

Utility rates will be going up in Jacksonville.

On Tuesday, the board of directors for JEA, the city’s publicly owned utility, approved incremental rate increases for city customers’ electric, water, and sewer services.

The rate hikes will increase average residential customer bills by about 3.7%. They begin on April 1. Customers can use the JEA bill estimator to make a more precise projection of what they’ll be paying this year, assuming their utility usage remains the same as in 2024.

JEA officials said in a press release that much of the rate increase is due to the utility’s “investments.” The JEA is spending funds on sustainability programs and technological and infrastructure improvements.

However, the most significant expenditure is the JEA plan to upgrade plants and facilities to meet state and federal customer service regulations. Several projects will require upgrades totaling about $25 million. There are about a dozen major projects, ranging from water reclamation facility improvements to biosolid facility conversions, water purification centers, and piping system improvements.

Panel discussion

The Chamber’s NextUp JAX and the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville’s Council EDGE will host a symposium tonight at the Jessie.

It starts at 6 p.m. and will discuss downtown growth and transportation.

Civic Council CEO Dennis Whittle moderates.

Panelists include Jessica Shepler, senior vice president of Public Affairs at Jacksonville Transportation Authority; Robert Peek, Chief Commercial Officer at JAXPORT; Arthur Adams, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing at CSX; and Wallace, president of the JAXUSA Partnership.

“The panel will explore Jacksonville’s strategic approach to urban development and compare its progress to global cities, offering a unique perspective on how local transit innovations and expansions are reshaping the city’s future trajectory,” the invite page promises.

Tickets start at $15.

More money

It’s good to be JWB.

The Downtown Investment Authority approved a $740,000 advance on the well-connected company’s loan to help cover tenant improvements at the former Federal Reserve Building, reports the Daily Record.

JWB, which bought the structure for $1.75 million in 2020, has already been approved for $8.6 million in incentives for the deal.

“Current equity on the site is listed on the staff report at $4.6 million, well above the $1.2 million minimum equity requirement for the project to remain eligible for the program,” the Record notes.

Jobs jobs jobs

Thank you for your service. Would you like a W2?

Military veterans looking to reintegrate into the civilian workforce can do so Thursday morning with a job fair at the Schultz Center.

Bring your paper resumes and complete your Recruit Military profile if you are going.

Employers, franchisors, schools, veterans groups, and governmental agencies will be on hand.

Admission is free for veterans, military spouses, transitioning military, and members of the Guard and Reserve.

The event starts at 11 a.m., but a seminar on maximizing veterans’ benefits will be held for those arriving an hour early.

English leather

Last week, Sporting JAX announced the first key soccer hire for the new professional women’s and men’s soccer teams. Mark Warburton was introduced as the club’s first Head of Soccer and Sporting Director.

Warburton, a veteran coach and academy director from England, has worked the sidelines for clubs such as Brentford, Nottingham Forest, and Queens Park Rangers in England and the Scottish heavyweights Glasgow Rangers.

Warburton spoke on the weekly Sporting Jax Soccer Hour Monday night on 1010 AM, where he laid out some of his vision for the club.

“We’re going to create a roster and a team that the community can be proud of,” Warburton said. “They can enjoy (themselves) when they go and see, and hopefully they can enjoy them winning when they go and see them. But it’s about getting that roster together, the quality of staff, and showing the club, showing the community that the club is moving forward.”

After his playing career and before beginning his time as a coach, Warburton worked in the financial industry as a currency trader, waking up early and enduring the pressure cookers that were the trading rooms in those days.

“I got up at silly o’clock. That was (what we called it),” Warburton said. “You walked into this competitive environment of noise and brokers screaming and prices moving and millions of dollars changing hands, and immediately, I was hooked because all of the points of teamwork, communication, risk, reward, etc., it just relates to football.”

Warburton’s first order of business will be to hire the first coach for the USL Super League women’s team set to kick off in August when Sporting JAX will debut at UNF’s Hodges Stadium. Then, the first roster of players will be signed before training camps open in July. At some point in the future, he’ll also be tasked with hiring coaching staff for the men’s team for the USL Championship.

Warburton must lay the foundation of the club’s culture, setting the tone for the soccer teams’ operation. He said he would focus on bringing in the right people and treating them the right way.

“One of the best bosses I ever worked for was in the bank industry, but he always spoke about the four Ps,” Warburton said. “It was burned on my brain: people, place, program, pathway. The right people create the right place, the right environment. And the right programs of work to give that individual the pathway to high levels. And that’s really a nutshell what I want to do here.”

The club must also decide where they will build a proposed 15,000-capacity stadium. Sporting JAX president Steve Livingstone said last week that the club was approaching a decision.

“We’ve been looking at a number of sites around the area, and we’re narrowed it down to a few,” Livingstone said. “Hopefully, sometime in the Spring.”